Spain — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Spain, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Spain was 10.38% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 26.09% in 2013. The lowest was 8.23% in 2007 (about 1.3× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -1.25% per year.
Spain ranks 37 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 20%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 5.58%, so Spain sits above it. It peaked in 2013 and has fallen 60% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 53%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 7 of 49 economies; Ukraine (9.83%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 59% in 2009. That is 31% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 24th of 187 in 1991 → 33rd of 187 in 2000 → 11th of 187 in 2010 → 27th of 187 in 2020 → 34th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10.38% | -1.0 pp |
| 2024 | 11.4% | -0.8 pp |
| 2023 | 12.18% | -0.9 pp |
| 2022 | 13.03% | -1.9 pp |
| 2021 | 14.91% | -0.6 pp |
| 2020 | 15.53% | +1.4 pp |
| 2019 | 14.1% | -1.2 pp |
| 2018 | 15.26% | -2.0 pp |
| 2017 | 17.22% | -2.4 pp |
| 2016 | 19.64% | -2.4 pp |
| 2015 | 22.06% | -2.4 pp |
| 2014 | 24.44% | -1.7 pp |
| 2013 | 26.09% | +1.3 pp |
| 2012 | 24.79% | +3.4 pp |
| 2011 | 21.39% | +1.5 pp |
| 2010 | 19.86% | +2.0 pp |
| 2009 | 17.86% | +6.6 pp |
| 2008 | 11.25% | +3.0 pp |
| 2007 | 8.23% | -0.2 pp |
| 2006 | 8.45% | -0.7 pp |
| 2005 | 9.15% | -1.9 pp |
| 2004 | 11.09% | -0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 11.28% | +0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 11.15% | +0.8 pp |
| 2001 | 10.35% | -3.4 pp |
| 2000 | 13.79% | -1.7 pp |
| 1999 | 15.48% | -3.2 pp |
| 1998 | 18.67% | -2.0 pp |
| 1997 | 20.7% | -1.4 pp |
| 1996 | 22.14% | -0.5 pp |
| 1995 | 22.68% | -1.5 pp |
| 1994 | 24.21% | +2.1 pp |
| 1993 | 22.16% | +4.5 pp |
| 1992 | 17.7% | +1.8 pp |
| 1991 | 15.93% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Spain’s Unemployment in 1992?
17.7% (1992). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of total labor force, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Spain’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -34.9% in total — about 1.3% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 10.38%; 2024: 11.4%; 2023: 12.18%; 2022: 13.03%; 2021: 14.91%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS — Unemployment Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.